Prior to the postseason, the Oregon Ducks had a terrific 2024 campaign, claiming the Big Ten title and being named the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The end was disappointing, as they were trounced by the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP Quarterfinals.
Now, as spring practices have come to a close and focus shifts fully towards the fall, there are several big question marks for a roster that saw 10 players hear their names called in the 2025 NFL Draft — along with a number of undrafted free agents.
How will the depth chart of the Ducks look next season as they vie for another playoff berth with hopes of claiming the elusive first national title in school history?
Projected 2025 Oregon Football Depth Chart
The biggest question that has yet to be answered is who will start at the game’s most important position: quarterback.
There’s talent at the position, but also inexperience across the board. The linebacking core, aside from senior Bryce Boettcher, is inexperienced as well and it remains to be seen who will step up beside last year’s leading tackler.
Head coach Dan Lanning has been adamant that he won’t look into the transfer portal to address these potential deficiencies — because, to him, there’s already enough talent on the roster. But is there?
Let’s break each position down, beginning with the offense.
Oregon Football Depth Chart: Offense
Quarterbacks
- Dante Moore, R-So
- Austin Novosad, R-So
- Luka Moga, R-Fr
- Akili Smith Jr., Fr
- Ryder Hayes, R-Fr
- Brock Thomas, R-So
The expectation is that Moore, who transferred to Oregon from the UCLA Bruins prior to last season, will get the starting nod. He started five games for the Bruins in 2023, where he was extremely raw (11 TDs vs. 9 INTs) but showed the talent that made him a five-star prospect.
Now with a year in the shadows learning from six-year college QB Dillon Gabriel and getting accustomed to the Ducks’ program, Moore will be expected to excel on the field if he is named the starter.
However, Lanning has staged this spring as a competition between Moore and Novosad, who is going on his third season in Eugene after coming in as a four-star recruit. The Texas native had a good spring and is pushing Moore, making the QB position still a question as the team heads into summer and fall practices.
Keep an eye out for Moga, who has impressed this spring. Just a three-star recruit, he’s worked his way into the No. 3 spot and could move into an important backup role if one of Novosad or Moore decides to enter the transfer portal if they aren’t named the starter.
Running Backs
- Makhi Hughes, R-Jr
- Noah Whittington, R-Sr
- Da’Juan Riggs, R-Fr
- Jayden Limar, Jr
- Jay Harris, R-Jr
- Dierre Hill Jr., Fr
- Jordon Davison, Fr
This is a major position of strength for the Ducks after adding former Tulane Green Wave and top-ranked RB Hughes into the fold. In two seasons, he rushed for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns. He’ll be expected to carry the load for Oregon but will be aided by Whittington, who filled the same role of impact backup a season ago when he ran for 540 yards and six touchdowns.
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Beyond those two — who will eat up a majority of the carries — Riggs is an intriguing talent, as he showed tremendous burst in mop-up duty a season ago, averaging 7.5 yards per carry. Limar and Harris will provide depth.
Wide Receivers
- Evan Stewart, Sr
- Justius Lowe, R-Jr
- Dakorien Moore, Fr
- Gary Bryant Jr., R-Sr
- Malik Benson, Sr
- Jeremiah McClellan, R-Fr
- Jurrion Dickey, R-So
- Dillon Gresham, R-Fr
- Jack Ressler, R-Fr
- Kyler Kasper, R-Jr
- Cooper Perry, Fr
- Darrian Anderson, R-Jr
- Jalen Saint Paul, R-Fr
- Brady Tidwell, R-Fr
After losing their top two receivers from last season, the Ducks head into 2025 with a highly- alented group without much doubt of being able to replace the departed production. Stewart will lead the way out wide after he was Oregon’s third-leading receiver in 2024 with 48 receptions, 613 yards, and five touchdowns. Bryant and Lowe have showed promise the past two seasons and should see their numbers rise significantly in bigger roles.
Five-star true freshman Moore is the wildcard. The top-ranked wide receiver in the class of 2025, he enrolled early and has been practicing with the Ducks during the spring, showcasing his immense talent and producing a number of highlight-reel catches. If he can rise to the level of consistent contributor — or become a star as the season progresses — it’ll greatly heighten the ceiling of Oregon entirely.
Tight Ends
- Kenyon Sadiq, Jr
- Jamari Johnson, R-So
- Roger Saleapaga, So
- A.J. Pugliano, R-Fr
- Zach Grace, R-So
- Kade Caton, R-Fr
- Vander Ploog, Fr
The Ducks lost top TE Terrance Ferguson to the NFL Draft but will welcome more catches for Sadiq, who is dynamic with the ball in his hands. His 24 catches for 308 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 are deceiving, as there were many more mouths to feed. But in 2025, expect him to near 50 catches or more, as it’ll be an emphasis to feed him the ball.
Johnson is a transfer from the Louisville Cardinals, where he caught 13 passes for 158 yards and a score. At 6’5″, 265 pounds, he’s a big target and will be a requisite backup behind Sadiq. The rest of the TE core is a question mark, as no one else has recorded a reception in college.
Offensive Tackle
- Isaiah World, R-Sr
- Alex Harkey, R-Sr
- Fox Crader, R-Fr
- Gernorris Wilson, R-So
- Ziyare Addison, Fr
- Trent Ferguson, R-Fr
- Zac Stascausky, Fr
World and Harkey are the likely starters at left and right tackle, respectively. Both are transfers, with World coming over from Nevada after earning All-Mountain West Honorable Mention honors in 2024. Meanwhile, Harkey was a third-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection for Texas State last season. Beyond them, there is inexperience but talent, as backups Crader and Wilson are both four-star recruits.
Offensive Guard
- Emmanuel Pregnon, R-Sr
- Dave Iuli, R-Jr
- Kawika Rogers, R-Jr
- Matthew Bedford, R-Sr
- Demetri Manning, Fr
- Lipe Moala, R-So
- Douglas Utu, Fr
Pregnon, a transfer from USC, started all 13 games for the Trojans last season and didn’t give up a single sack. The left guard will presumably be Iuli, who started four games down the stretch of last season for Oregon and was a part of the Ducks’ group was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, awarded to the nation’s most outstanding O-line unit.
Bedford and Rogers each have experience, the latter in a backup role for the Ducks and the former who started 11 games for Indiana in 2023.
Center
- Iapani Laloulu, Jr
- Charlie Pickard, R-Sr
- Bryce Boulton, R-So
- Devin Brooks, R-Fr
One of the strengths of the team, Laloulu has the center position in a good position heading into 2025. As a sophomore last season, he started all 14 games and was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
Pickard provides solid depth, as he appeared in every game in 2024, playing 264 total snaps with over half coming on special teams.
Oregon Football Depth Chart: Defense
EDGE
- Mateo Uiagalelei, Jr
- Teitum Tuioti, Jr
- Elijah Rushing, R-Fr
- Blake Purchase, R-So
- Ashton Porter, R-So
- Nasir Wyatt, Fr
The Ducks are well suited here, as both Uiagalelei and Tuioti produced at a high level last season. Uiagelelei, an All-Big Ten First Team selection in 2024 and a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, led the team with 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Tuioti was no slouch, as he recorded 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss on the opposite side.
Rushing redshirted in 2024 but could be the next great Ducks pass-rusher, as he was a five-star prospect and the No. 3 EDGE in his class, per 247 Sports. Both Purchase and Porter saw time last season and will serve in depth roles.
Defensive Tackle
- Bear Alexander, R-Jr
- A’Mauri Washington, Jr
- Aydin Breland, R-Fr
- Tionne Gray, R-Fr
- Jericho Johnson, R-Fr
- Terrance Green, R-So
After spending his first three seasons with Georgia and USC, Alexander comes over and will be expected to lead this unit. For the Trojans in 2023, he shined in recording 48 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and a team-leading two forced fumbles. He’ll be next to Washington, who played in all 14 games last season. Both Breland and Gray were highly rated recruits and will be expected to step into backup roles.
Linebackers
- Bryce Boettcher, R-Sr
- Devon Jackson, R-Jr
- Jerry Mixon, Jr
- Brayden Platt, R-Fr
- Dylan Williams, R-Fr
- Kamar Mothudi, R-Fr
- Gavin Nix, Fr
This group is very inexperienced and unproven outside of Boettcher and Jackson, who will play side-by-side. Boettcher is a phenomenal player, as he led Oregon with 94 tackles, including 50 solo. He was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team for his efforts. Jackson was in a rotational role in 2024 but will be expected to be an every-down LB in the fall. He finished sixth on the team with 47 tackles after appearing in every game.
Mixon saw action in 11 of 14 games last season, recording three total tackles, while Platt is a four-star prospect. Both will be expected to provide depth in 2025.
Cornerbacks
- Jahlil Florence, R-Jr
- Theran Johnson, R-Sr
- Ify Obidegwu, R-Fr
- Sione Laulea, R-Jr
- Na’eem Offord, Fr
- Dakoda Fields, R-Fr
- Brandon Finney Jr., Fr
Florence and Johnson will lead the way for this group, with Florence coming back from injury after a promising 2023 campaign in which he finished with 27 tackles and an interception. Johnson comes over from Northwestern, where he picked off two passes, totaled 10 passes defended, and 53 tackles a season ago.
Obidedwu has star potential, with there being speculation that he’s challenging Florence for his starting spot. He’s yet to appear in a game yet and looks to be poised for a backup role in 2025. Laulea is headed for a similar role.
Safety
- Dillon Thieneman, Jr
- Kingston Lopa, R-Fr
- Jadon Cannady, R-Sr
- Austin Daylen, R-So
- Aaron Flowers, R-Fr
- Peyton Woodyard, So
- Trey McNutt, Fr
- Soloman Davis, R-So
The Ducks have an extremely talented back end of their defense headlined by Thieneman, who joined Oregon after two seasons at Purdue. In 2024, he led all Big Ten defensive backs with 104 tackles along with breaking up seven passes. He’ll be next to either Lopa or Woodyard, who are both talented yet inexperienced, playing in only 20 games total between them.
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Cannady and Daylen will battle it out for the nickel spot — though Daylen’s off-the-field troubles could complicate things. Cannady is a transfer from Ole Miss, where he totaled 11 passes defensed and 38 tackles last season. Each of Flowers, McNutt, and Davis are highly rated recruits and provide extremely talented depth.
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